As far as big box board games go, the cult-classic dungeon crawler HeroQuest is a straight-up good time. It’s on our list of favourite board games for a reason. However, it’s also a pretty expensive board game, with retailers pricing it between $209 to $259.
The price is warranted, considering that the game includes 65 detailed miniatures – but for some, it’s still a pretty big commitment. But the good news is that you can currently nab HeroQuest on sale for $152.02, which is a barbarian-sized discount.
If you’ve been looking to pick up a new title for your next board game night, or you want to play a fantasy RPG with a smaller commitment than something like Dungeons & Dragons, then HeroQuest should be on your radar.
This article has been updated since its original publication.
Why should you play HeroQuest?
If you’ve never played HeroQuest before, it’s like a streamlined version of a tabletop RPG. It lets you experience the fun parts of adventuring and exploration, without being bogged down by some of the more in-depth mechanics of something like Dungeons & Dragons.
In HeroQuest, up to four people play as one of four characters as they make their way through one of the game’s 14 quests. Another player dons the role of the evil sorcerer, Zargon, who acts as the game master and is responsible for throwing various traps and nasty beasts at the players. Modern big box board games like Gloomhaven owe a lot to HeroQuest, and if you like the former, then there’s a high chance you’ll dig the latter.
HeroQuest‘s publishing history is a bit of an odd one. Originally launched in 1989 by Milton Bradley and Games Workshop, the game received its last expansion set in 1992 before slipping out of production. Up until recently, the only way to play HeroQuest was to hopefully get lucky and find one in a vintage store for cheap, or pay eye-watering prices for a nice secondhand copy.
In late 2020, Hasbro launched a crowdfunding campaign for an updated version of HeroQuest. This revival edition hit its target within 24 hours and would later be released in 2021. And now, in 2024, you can buy it while it’s on sale. The circle is complete.
You can grab a copy of HeroQuest on sale here.
If you already own a copy of HeroQuest and want to add to your quest, or you’re just a completionist, there are a few expansion sets on sale as well:
- Kellar’s Keep – now $45 (down from $79.99)
- Rise of the Dread Moon – now $45.60 (down from $89.99)
- The Mage of the Mirror – now $46.15 (down from $85)
- Return of The Witch Lord – now $54.98 (down from $79.99)
- The Frozen Horror – now $77.27 (down from $94.99)
Nabbing around $17 to $44 off, depending on which quest pack you pick, is pretty solid. Plus, buying the discounted HeroQuest game with one of these expansions would still be less than or the same price as the main game at full price.
Image: Avalon Hill/Kotaku Australia
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